Seward town folk and visitors turned out to celebrate its Olympic medal-winning 17-year-old Lydia Jacoby on Thursday. Seward had fire trucks and festooned flatbeds rolling through town with the Tsunami Swimmers waving at the crowd and a special balloon-decorated float for Jacoby, who won a gold and a silver medal in Tokyo.
Jacoby, who will be a senior at Seward High School this year, scored a major upset in the women’s 100-meter breaststroke. She won a silver in the 4x100m medley relay.
Jacoby had been home for a few days after having been gone from Seward and away from her parents for a month.
Gov. Mike Dunleavy attended for the celebration and presented her with a state flag and commendation. Also present was Senate President Peter Micciche, who was on the first float of the parade.
